Page 315 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 11
I hated how he’d used the past tense there.
“But you’re not the same as when we first met,” he said.
“What do you mean by that?”
He shrugged.
“No, tell me.”
“Promise you won’t get upset with me?” he asked.
I nodded. Even though I had a feeling whatever he was about to say was going to hurt like hell.
“When we first met I felt out of place in the city. And you seemed so sure of yourself. Always. You were the most confident person I knew. But...”
I already knew what he was going to say.
“Somewhere over the years, that version of you disappeared. And I think maybe I just had a crush on who you used to be.”
It felt like he’d slapped me. But I couldn’t be upset. Because I knew it was true. As soon as I started wearing glasses, it seemed like I’d kind of lost a piece of me. The oversized clothes my dad always encouraged me to wear hadn’t helped either. I felt invisible.
And it felt like I was supposed to feel that way. Like I was meant to just fade away into oblivion. Having an unrequited crush on Axel that whole time hadn’t helped the situation. I’d never felt good enough. How could someone remain confident and carefree when everyone around them made them feel inadequate?
Maybe if I’d known Jacob liked me sooner, I could have avoided all those years of hurt. He’d loved me the way I was. And I’d never known.
“Please don’t cry.” Jacob lifted his hands and wiped beneath my eyes.
I hadn’t even realized I was. Jacob loved me before I wore glasses. Axel apparently liked me with glasses. And this new version of me that was trying her hardest to get her confidence back? Only a drifter in a dark closet preferred this mess. The thought just made the tears fall faster. I’d really wanted my kiss thief to be Jacob. I felt like the unluckiest person alive.
Jacob wiped more of my tears away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have...”
“No, it’s fine.”
“It’s not fine. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“I know,” I said. Jacob was the only one that ever seemed to care about my feelings at all.
“Come here.” He opened his arms wide.
I leaned forward and let him hug me. The way he always did. Like a friend.
Which just made me cry harder.
He ran his hand up and down my back.
“I’m going to die alone,” I said.
He chuckled. “I’m positive you won’t.” He kept rubbing my back.
“Yes I am.”
His hand paused. Like he was considering my fears as truth. But then he said: “What about Operation Too Hot to Handle?”
I lifted my head from his shoulder. “What about it? It’s over.”
“Is it?”
I wiped the tears off my cheeks. “Yes. The only person that noticed my new look was you. And you laugh whenever you kiss me.”
